Kerala - Kannur   

INTUC to launch agitation

KANNUR: The Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) will launch an agitation against the ‘anti-labour’ policies of the State government, alleging that the private monopolies are being allowed to exploit the State’s wealth.

Speaking at a press conference here on Tuesday, INTUC State president K. Suresh Babu said the foot march he would lead from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram in December would mark the beginning of the agitation. Mandalam-level campaigns would be conducted in November in preparation for the agitation, he said.

Mr. Suresh Babu said the government was yet to announce its labour and industrial policies though 17 months had passed since it was elected. No other State had a substantial number of workers in abject conditions as Kerala, he said. Large number of workers in the unorganised sectors were getting poor wages. He said the government was not announcing its labour policies to please private managements.

The government was doing little to provide jobs to those registered with the employment exchange, he said.

Referring to the closed Thiruvepathy Mills here which had been purchased by a Communist Party of India (Marxist)-sponsored trust in memory of the late E.K. Nayanar, Mr. Suresh Babu said the CPI(M) was pursuing a policy of bringing into its possession properties of closed factories.

The government was not interested in ensuring value-addition to natural resources of the State, including mineral sand.

Welcoming the Central government’s decision to amend the Bonus Act, the INTUC State chief said it would benefit large number of workers in the country. The INTUC State committee placed on record its gratitude to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi for extending the rural work guarantee programme to the entire country. He said there was no erosion in the INTUC in the State. A major shortcoming of the party had been lack of assistance from the State unit of the Congress to the INTUC, he said adding that the offering of party support to the union by Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Ramesh Chennithala raised INTUC workers’ hope that it could be strengthened.

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INTUC to launch agitation

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